Pharmacentre Limited > Blog
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Sun Chlorella

Yogini in our Edgware branch uses Sun Chlorella. She highly recommends it as she says she has used it for 3 months and feels full of energy.

Chlorella is a fresh water single-cell green algae, a natural whole food that contains a spectrum of nutrients perfectly designed by nature. Those nutrients include Proteins, Iron, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and Folic Acid, all of which would account for Yogini’s energy boost.

Sun Chlorella ‘A’ is the only chlorella that is pulverised by DYNO-Mill. This technology breaks up the indigestible chlorella cell wall without the need for excessive heat or chemicals and frees the nutrients in chlorella.

Chlorella is a fresh water single-cell green algae, a natural whole food that contains a spectrum of nutrients perfectly designed by nature. Those nutrients include Iron, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and Folic Acid.

It’s benefits don’t stop there Marie Clare reported: “We’re yet to see a picture of Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr where her skin doesn’t look flawless, and she claims Chlorella supplements are to thank: ‘To keep my skin in check I always eat lots of greens and take Chlorella supplements and drink lots of water.’ As well as being packed with nutrients to boost your complexion, this natural green algae is also comprised of Chlorella Growth Factor, a unique component that works to grow and repair cells. If it works for Miranda…”

How does Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) benefit beauty?

As you age, your body’s natural production of DNA and RNA declines. With less RNA and DNA being produced, the signs of aging become more visible (read: fine lines and wrinkles), and we experience a decrease in the speed of wound healing, energy and overall cellular function. For this reason, nucleic acids are a key component to anti-aging and beauty from the inside out.

Luckily, CGF contains a high concentration of  dietary nucleic acids that are easily used by the body, which means the RNA and DNA can be absorbed and utilized efficiently by your cells. Even if you’re not concerned about aging just yet, you’ll still benefit from the rejuvenating effects that the nucleic acids provide while taking a preventative measure for your health. Read more about CGF here.

 

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Muswell Hill Closed for Repairs

Our Muswell Hill Store will be closed on Monday 16th May 2016 for essential maintenance work.

We are sorry for the inconvenience this causes, but we will be open and trading as usual on Tuesday 17th May!

If you regularly shop Muswell Hill and would like to get in touch, please fill out our Contact Form  or call any of our stores

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Trilogy Eye Contour Cream

Sandhya, the manager in our Muswell Hill Store, loves Trilogy Eye Contour cream.

She says: “It’s a great product as it absorbs well into the skin. It is cooling and brightening as it contains Aloe Vera and acai berry”

Trilogy write that it’s benefits are that it restores a smoother, firmer appearance to the delicate eye contour area with this unique gel/cream formulation. Powerful anti-ageing care for morning and night; it’s also perfect anytime for tired, travel-weary eyes.

Fast absorbing for immediate make-up application. It smooths fine lines, reduces puffiness with Rosapene™, aloe vera and acai. Apply sparingly to cleansed skin before moisturising. Gently pat from the outer eye towards the nose using fingertips.

 

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10 minutes with Antipodes

An Interview with Elizabeth Barbalich, CEO and Founder of Antipodes Skin Care

I first met Elizabeth 6 years ago when she visited London from New Zealand, after the products were introduced into UK stores. I was fortunate enough to have her explain the wonderful product range to me and once I tried the Antipodes Joyous Serum, I was hooked. Antipodes Joyous Protein-Rich Serum

Antipodes is a certified organic skincare brand, that bottles the best ingredients directly from New Zealand nature. The natural range includes ultra-hydrating skincare products made from avocado oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, macadamia nut oil and exotic New Zealand plant extracts including their star ingredient, Vinanza Grape®, a potent antioxidant extracted from the seeds of Marlborough Sauvignon blanc grapes that in an independent study in New Zealand, had scientifically shown to have the world’s highest level of antioxidants. We all know how great antioxidants are for us!

I recently caught up with Elizabeth, at the Natural and Organic Products Show just before she was given the Natural Beauty Award for best Body Cream for the Antipodes Joyful Hand and Body Cream.

Danielle: Antipodes is 10 this year! What inspired you to start your own skin care brand?

antipodes-elizabeth-barbalich

Elizabeth: I saw a gap in the market for a lifestyle brand that was natural, sustainable, organic and also had scientific validation. In New Zealand there were a lot of skin care brands that were cheaper looking but there was nothing that ticked all the boxes in terms of a really cool lifestyle brand. I was really inspired by Aesop which is a very strong Australian brand, so I wanted to create something that was a strong look and a distinctive style. It’s not for everyone, it’s not everyday beauty, it’s a real niche brand.

I heard that you started in your kitchen?

I started with ideas because I’ve got a background in Chemistry and Biology so I started with concepts of how formulas would work but we never manufactured from home.

You have received many well deserved awards for your products (See them on Pinterest) What has been the most rewarding part of creating and developing Antipodes?

I think the most rewarding part is when you have someone come up to you and says the products are life changing and I absolutely love the brand. When it’s not a celebrity, but someone who’s put their hard earned money to buy the product, and for me that’s the most rewarding because that’s the person who I developed the products for. We get lots of people saying how much they love it and for me that’s the best thing because that was my vision. It’s nice to get the awards too but you find people can get emotionally attached to the products describe in detail the fragrance and how they use it. It’s great, that’s the most rewarding.

At Panacea, we love that Antipodes ingredients are organic, ethically sourced and use recyclable packaging. Why is “Green Beauty” so important to you?

Well in nature you have the answers to everything. All Pharmaceuticals and drugs are inspired by nature. I think the reason green beauty is important because you don’t need to use chemicals on your body. I’m not pro synthetic ingredients. I think if you want to be in the best possible health you need to eat natural raw foods and if you go back to cave men or paleo times they ate raw foods, and it’s the same in skincare, getting as close to the earth as possible.

So we have to look after the earth for it to look after us?

Absolutely. At Antipodes we source all of our ingredients through sustainable sources, we know where they come from, we work closely with suppliers, we’ve got great relationships, we understand what they’re doing and that’s part of the journey. So as a brand we’ve created a sort of eco community in terms of all our suppliers. Our key suppliers come from New Zealand. It’s cool. We’re growing, they’re growing, everyone is benefitting.

You mentioned raw foods – Besides skin care what other tips do you have for beautiful skin?

Raw juice is a big one, lots of sleep if you can get it. No alcohol. But Raw juice yes –  beetroot, ginger, carrot, parsnip, parsley all that kind of thing. My daughters are really big on juicing too. As little animal fats as possible, raw ingredients and be happy with what you’ve got.

We know you are against animal testing, but so much so you refused to sell in China because of their animal testing requirement. Antipodes also recently donated an amazing NZ$60,000 to WWF-New Zealand. How did you get involved with the WWF?

We were looking for an organisation who were aligned with our ethos. We’re very pro animals and the environment that they live in. We looked at lots of different organisations but we thought the WWF were the best in terms of alignment. They are the world’s best and largest independent conservation organisation, very altruistically focused, and they’ve been around for 50/60 years so quite reputable. I was quite lucky to have met the CEO of the WWF in Wellington where I live, so that gave me the opportunity to start talking to them, which is amazing because they are a giant organisation. We had to work really hard to get a licencing agreement with them though because they’ve got a brand to protect. They are very particular who they work with. They’ve never worked with a beauty brand before and they wanted to make sure everything we did was aligned with what they do. So it’s fantastic. We’ve donated a significant amount of money, well for us its significant, but for them it’s probably small, but in New Zealand it’s helping with native birds and the Maui dolphin, which is a rare species, so it contributes towards something that is meaningful.

Going back to animal testing in China, we don’t sell in stores in China because you have to test on animals to go in stores but we do sell online on an across border ecommerce company who don’t have to test on animals to sell there. A lot of brands have “sold out”, like Jurlique and L’Occitane* are in China. We’re waiting for those laws to change and there’s been talk for a few years. We tick all the boxes, but we’re not prepared to change our brand for that, animals don’t wear cosmetics.

You must have a busy life with your husband and 3 teenagers as well as running a successful company. What advice do you have for mums who are balancing a busy work and home schedule?

You can’t do everything. Get as much help as you can possibly get. You have to sacrifice something, so my focus is work and my home life. My kids and husband. I’ve got good friends but I don’t socialise that much, these women who think they can do it all and go to parties 5 times a week – you just can’t. You’ve got to look after what’s important first

What is your naughty (edible) indulgence?

Well the chocolate over here (there is a large selection of raw chocolate at the show today) That Booja Booja chocolate! Have you tried it? That stuff is amazing! And I really love Lamingtons. I do like cakes. Cakes and biscuits.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what Antipodes product could you not do without?

Hosanna Serum, Ananda Toner, Grapeseed Butter Cleanser, Avocado Night Cream. All of them.

Do you have any predictions for Natural Skincare in 2016/17?

It will become more high tech. A lot of brands will drop off. The market is too saturated and the consumer is too savvy. I think the good brands will get better and a lot of brands will fall by the wayside.

What’s next for Antipodes? Are you launching any new products for your 10th Birthday?
Yes, we are. We have 2 new products launching in July

Joyful

Panacea keeps a wide range of Antipodes skincare products including the Mineral Foundation. Visit our stores to try these luscious products and you too will be hooked on natural beauty

* the companies mentioned don’t personally do the testing, but they do allow their products to be tested on animals to be able to be sold in stores in China.

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Proto-Col Collagen Shot

This drink is an innovative collagen shot that uses advanced technology to deliver a unique combination of VERISOL®, a bioactive collagen peptide, vitamins B6, C & E, Zinc, Biotin and Copper. Designed for both men and women, this drink acts as a daily food supplement that supports the body’s own collagen formation to help slow down and combat the visible signs of ageing.

As we age, it’s the loss of this protein that makes skin lose its firmness, and is directly linked to the signs of ageing, with the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and a reduction in skin elasticity. Proto-col’s collagen shot, uses VERISOL® type I and III bovine collagen hydrolysate which is the closest match to human DNA and is the only source of collagen scientifically proven to repair and restore levels within the body.

VERISOL® works at a deeper level, as it systemically affects the collagen metabolism in the dermis, rather than just reaching the outer layers of skin like creams and topical products do. As it is orally consumed it influences the skin’s co metabolism directly from the inside, to increase the skin moisture and slow down the formation of wrinkles.

Approved by FSE (Food Supplements Europe) recognised by EFSA (European Food Standards Agency) VERISOL® studies have confirmed that VERISOL® addresses the main concern of both men and women with regards to ageing skin, elasticity and firmness as well as wrinkles. People taking products containing natural Bioactive Peptide VERISOL® have reported noticeably firmer and smoother skin with fewer wrinkles.

Ingredients include:

Hydrolysed collagen – collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. We provide the highest concentrate 5000mg per 50ml bottle.

Vitamin C – contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage and the normal function of skin.

Biotin – contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and necessary to maintain energy and general vitality.

Copper – contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues and the normal function of the immune system.

Vitamin B6 – contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, the normal function of the immune system.

Zinc – contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.

 

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Stay Crystal Fresh – Native Unearthed

Say hello to the NEW! Award winning range of crystal deodorants by Native Unearthed.

Love deodorant? – Well we have something exciting in store for you. We’re a new deodorant brand, with a big personality and a big conscience. We do two things –

  1. Make great deodorant
  2. Use a portion of our profits to improve the livelihoods of women, one deodorant at a time.

Designed for busy Londoners on the go, our deodorants won an award for keeping gym goers fresh, naturally. With no white marks, sticky residue or unsavoury yellow stains left behind, our deodorants are being hailed as ‘best natural deodorants in town’.

What are crystal deodorants?

The crystals we use in our deodorants form naturally underground, and on the encrustations of volcanic rocks. It’s a simple process. We hand-pick our crystals and infuse them with the juices of freshly picked plants and herbs. We couldn’t be any more natural… even if we tried.
If you haven’t heard of crystal deodorants before, you might be interested to know that crystal deodorants were discovered thousands of years ago. Since the beginning of time (or about 400ad), people have been using crystals to stay fresh.

How do they work?

With simple earth rich ingredients such as volcanic crystals and an array of soft herbal and botanical extracts, our deodorants work by ridding your underarms of all odour causing bacteria. Odour is bacteria. No bacteria=no odour. It’s a simple yet award winning formula.

How effective are they?:

We advise you purchase Native Unearthed, apply it after your next shower and watch the miracle unfold. Our deodorants provide around the clock protection for 24 hours, without the need to reapply.
Our deodorant has been described as a ‘god send’ by leading author and nutritionist and healthy living coach Michele Kaye, in addition to the ‘most effective natural deodorant’ by thousands of lovely customers online.

Why should I switch from an antiperspirant to a deodorant:

Even if body odour isn’t your issue, we all want something that’s effective and natural. Antiperspirant not only clog your pores, but they stop your body from continuing it’s natural course of releasing harmful toxins through sweat. Our natural deodorants allow your skin to breathe, whilst providing the twice the protection of any leading antiperspirants.

Your body, your deodorant

Did you know that it takes under 5 seconds for your body to absorb chemicals contained within traditional antiperspirants and deodorants? This is why Native Unearthed have a strict no nasties policy

How to apply?:

Unlike most deodorants, it’s important to apply your Native Unearthed deodorant after your shower to wet underarms. After it smoothly glides on, your Native Unearthed deodorant will leave an invisible layer of naturally antibacterial minerals on your underarms. This ‘super’ layer will inhibit the growth of odour causing bacteria and prevent B.O.
Native Unearthed are a brand with a conscience and a brand with a mission! We use a portion of our profits to improve the livelihoods of women in developing countries.

For more information go to Native Unearthed or chat to a staff member at one of our Panacea stores in London.

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Dr Hauschka Quince Day Cream

Grazyna in Kingston Loves the Dr Hauschka Quince Day Cream

She says: “I have been using Dr. Hauschka products for over 17 years now. I am happy with their products and ethics. Not only do they rely mostly on raw materials of natural origin and the highest quality, they also use the bio dynamic cultivation for the plants used in their cosmetics. What’s more is that there has never been animal testing carried out on their products either for or on behalf of Dr Hauschka, since their founding in 1967.”

Grazyna goes on to say:” One of their products, which I use every single day, is the Quince Day Cream. It is a daily moisturiser for healthy, toned skin. The main ingredients are quince seed extract, jojoba, apricot and avocado oil which help to maintain moisture balance and firm the skin. The antioxidant-rich oils offer protection from environmental aggressors, as well as encouraging a radiant glow and supple texture in the skin. Therefore, the Quince Cream is a favourite for those who go skiing or for windy weather. I am very happy and my skin looks happy too.”

 

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Solgar Hyaluronic Acid Complex

Anda from our Edgware Store and Branka in Watford both love Solgar Hyaluronic Acid Complex.

Branka says:”Good nutrition is the foundation of beautiful skin and that’s why I always recommend Solgar Hyaluronic Acid Complex to our customers to help keep the skin looking soft, plump and supple.” Anda said that she noticed that since using it, her skin is looking a lot better.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a substance found within almost all of the cells of the human body, most abundantly in skin and joints.  It is thought that age-related loss of HA may be a contributing factor to wrinkling in ageing.  In the skin, HA may help to retain optimal levels of water in the upper layers of skin.

In the joints, HA is found in the synovial fluid, which provides lubrication and acts as a shock absorber. Studies suggest a role for HA in joint health as it may offer pain relief to arthritis sufferers.  Solgar’s Hyaluronic Acid Complex combines other natural supplements including Vitamin C, Collagen and Chondroitin to enhance its benefits.

 

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Amazing Grass Guide to Greens

For quite some time now, greens have been touted as one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods. Often, they are referred to as superfoods. But how exactly are “greens” defined and how do we know which ones are best? Thankfully, although there are a wide variety of greens, most all of them are packed with important nutrients. In fact, since all greens have different nutritional profiles, it’s recommended that we all eat a diverse mix of greens and not stick to the same thing day in and day out.

Below we outline 5 different types of greens and explain what makes them unique!

Dark Leafy Greens:

Dark leafy greens are often the most popular form of greens and the ones that we’re most familiar with. Spinach, kale, collards and chard all fit into this category. All dark leafy greens are great for cooking and some, like spinach and kale, make fantastic additions for smoothies because they are not too bitter. Although dark leafy greens contain a variety of nutrients, most are high in vitamins A, C & K and may help protect you against heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Sea Greens:

You don’t have to be a fan of seaweed salad to enjoy sea greens. Chlorella and Spirulina are two examples of sea algae that you can easily take in supplement or powder form. . Spirulina is also quite high in Vitamin B12, containing over 150% of your daily recommend value. It’s also high in magnesium, zinc and iron. Sea greens are great for detoxifying and cleansing

Lettuces:

Lettuces are the forgotten super green, many are exceptionally high in nutrients. Red and Green leaf lettuce along with Romaine lettuce are high in vitamin A and folate (also known as vitamin B9). Folate has been shown to encourage normal nerve and brain function.
Some varieties like iceberg lettuce are not as high in nutrients, it’s recommended to search for lettuces darker in colour. Often, the richer the green color, the higher in nutrients it will be.

Microgreens:

Microgreens (also known as sprouts) are a relatively new phenomenon in terms of popularity. Microgreens are the seedlings of common plants like kale, beets, etc. They are most commonly used on top of salads, in sandwiches and as a garnish to give a dish a bit of crunch and texture. While young in age, these seedlings are certainly not lacking in nutrient value. In fact, micorgreens have been shown to have up to four to six times more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plant! Find out more about germinators and how to grow sprouts here

Grasses:

Call us biased, but we’re pretty obsessed with grasses. The nutrient profile of grasses like barley grass, alfalfa grass are very similar to most nutritious, dark green veggies. So many animal species on our planet survive almost exclusively on grasses and grasses are such a complete food that you don’t need any other vegetable or animal product to complement them or make up for missing nutrients. Grasses are high in calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B12, even protein. They have been shown to improve our digestive function, detoxify our blood and cleanse our liver. They are all extremely alkalizing and contain a long list of amino acids.

Amazing Grass makes it easy to enjoy these nutritional powerhouse grasses as a part of your daily routine!

Read original blog and other articles by Amazing Grass

 

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Solgar L-Theanine

Alex in our Muswell Hill Store loves to recommend Solgar L-Theanine.

She says: ”It is a single amino acid which helps regulate brain function, increase GABA levels, and support alpha waves, to create a focused, clear state of mind. I think it is helpful in any stressful situation, perfect for intense studying as it is non drowsy.”

The properties of L-Theanine can be summed up as being a relaxing agent without sedation and is also said to reducing the perception of stress while slightly improving attention. While it does not appear to induce sleep, it may help with sleep as it helps with GABA, the body’s main calming neurotransmitter in the brain.

Solgar uses a Free Form, patented L-Theanine – Suntheanine® to promote optimal absorption and they suggest taking 150mg per day or as recommended by your health care practitioner.

 

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